North St Marys Fights For 782 Re-Instated! - St Marys- Mount Druitt Star

MP joins the fight for more buses

BY KYLIE STEVENS

24 May, 2011 10:18 AM

2011 10:18 AM

A COMMUNITY cry for help from stranded residents for more buses in North St Marys has Londonderry state MP Bart Bassett on board.

He will lobby transport minister Gladys Berejiklian for the return of more services after last week’s meeting with residents who had what he called ‘‘very legitimate concerns’’.

KenMoriarty and Patricia Guy led a community uproar after the 782 Westbus route servicing the suburb was axed during a transport overhaulin October 2009.

With help from the St Marys-Mt Druitt Star which broke the story, a community campaign led to diversions to the 745 Busways route StMarys and CastleHill, which doesn’t run on Sundays or public holidays.

MrMoriarty was initially grateful— until he learned it takes two buses to get to Penrith. Residents in Griffiths Street and Jakaranda Road remained without a service, like Mrs Guy.

She and Mr Moriarty recently collected 100 signatures in support the old 782 route.
It comes after Westbus earlier this year agreed to divert a 780 morning and afternoon service through North St Marys on weekdays after representations on the behalf of two students. Mrs Guy said some services that now terminate at Werrington could continue to St Marys via North St Marys. ‘‘A half-hourly service would be enough,’’ she said.

Mr Moriarty said: ‘‘People don’t want to go to CastleHill— they need to go to Penrith for medical appointments.
Many elderly people here relied on the 782 for that. What happened to people in North St Marys played a big part in why former MP Allan Shearan was voted out.’’

Mr Bassett couldn’t estimate a timeframe but hopes to discuss the topic with Ms Berejiklian this week.

They and Hawkesbury MP RayWilliams met with residents when the 782 was first axed.

‘‘I’m hopeful there’s enough flexibility in the current system to reduce the number of some high-frequency services and put them back in place in North StMarys,’’Mr Bassett said.

Should the 782 be reinstated?

Join the debate at: stmarysstar.com.au or on our Facebook page

All aboard for better transport: Residents are confident of action after they met with Bart Bassett at North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre last Thursday. ‘‘The residents put a strong and reasonable case forward,’’ the MP said. Pictures: Mike Sea